Summer is upon us! Schools, universities, colleges are all on summer break. Families are taking vacations. Summer is a time for fun, relaxation, outdoor activities, parties, just as it should be!

Most persons are able to enjoy summer fun and the drinking that goes along with it. But unfortunately there are those who cannot, those that will abuse alcohol. I should know because there was a time in my life that I abused alcohol. Whether at parties, recreational activities, or simply alone, once I had one drink I couldn’t stop. It all started out so innocently, but over time one glass of wine turned into two, three, a bottle, or more.

Luckily I have a loving family who got me help. Today I am a recovering alcoholic for nearly thirty years, one day at a time. I never take my sobriety for granted; I know I am one drink away from relapsing.

Alcoholism is an insidious disease. It destroys lives, relationships, jobs. It can take one’s life, and even worse someone may take their own life. I have seen all of these with my very eyes. I am so grateful I never got so low that I destroyed my life. With my loving son and daughter I was able to get strong and not pick up a drink again all these years.

If you think you might have a drinking problem, PLEASE ask for help! Don’t be embarrassed! You ARE NOT ALONE! You CAN get sober and stay sober, ONE DAY AT A TIME!

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction, please visit the National Rehab Hotline website or by calling 866-210-1303.

*Aaron Douglas,* ***Let My People Go,*** *c. 1939, oil and masonite, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York*

Aaron Douglas played a leading role in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. He is often referred to as “the father of Black American art…was one of the most accomplished of the interpreters of our institutions and cultural values. He captured the strength and quickness of the young; he translated the memories of the old; and he projected the determination of the inspired and courageous.”

Douglas’s works of art examine social issues surrounding race and segregation in the United States. He helped young, African-American artists enter the public arts realm because of his involvement with the Harlem Artists Guild. In 1944 he found the Art Department at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Let My People Go depicts a story in the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament regarding God ordering Moses to lead the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. The piece features Douglas’s signature style of flat figurative forms, clear contours, monochromatic color, as well as his interest in Art Deco design and African art. His palette is a unique combination of lavender and yellow-gold. From the upper left a Divine light illumines the entire composition down to the kneeling figure of Moses. Behind the figure of Moses Douglas depicts the three Great Pyramids of Giza, as well as African masks that suggest slavery.

Let My People Go is an example of Douglas’s use of allegory to tell the story of the African-American experience. This Old Testament story of Moses freeing the Israelites from the Egyptians resonates with the African-American community regarding its history of slavery.